Make-and-break mechanism.



H. A. TBPBL.

MAKE AND BREAK MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED 111m: 30, 1911.

1,074,0'7 1 Patented Sept. 23, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

WITNESSES: HE/WM/Y/V TE'PEL INVENTOR.

han ful Wm ATTORNEY.

H. A. TEPEL.

MAKE AND BREAK MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30, 1911.

1,074,071 Patented Sept. 23, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES l/EF/l/fl/V A TEPEL INVENTOR.

W A TTORNEY.

TTNTTE FFICE.

HERMAN A. TEIPEL, OF JEFFERSONVI'LLE, INDIANA.

MAKE-AND-BBEAK MECHANISM.

emma.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, I'IERMAN A. Tnrnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jeffersonville, in the county of Clark and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Make-and- Break Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to make-and-break mechanisms in which a fluid conductor is used to make a contact with a solid conductor, and has for its object to improve the general structure of such mechanisms and particularly to provide one that is suitable for trolley wires.

My invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, which will be more fully described herein after and then pointed out in the claims. A practical embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation; Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal section, partly in elevation; Fig. 3, a detail showing the contact; Fig. 1, a plan; and Fig. 5, a cross-sectional detail of the upper part of the device.

My invention consists of a receptacle containing a fluid conductor and a second receptacle therein containing a solid conductor adapted to be pushed together so as to force the fluid conductor into the receptacle containing the solid conductor to make a contact.

It further consists in a structure on one of the movable elements adapted to hold it movahly on a wire.

It further consists in novel arrangements of the insulation.

It further consists in a retarding mechanism adapted to retard the outflow of the fluid conductor and maintain the contact a given period of time.

It further consists in a novel slidable connection of the receptacles containing the conductors.

The receptacle 10, preferably cylindrical, contains the fluid conductor 29, preferably mercury. The receptacle 10 is pivoted to the shoe 12, which is adapted to straddle the wire 14 and hold the receptacle 10 movably in position thereon.

The receptacle 25 is held movably in position in the receptacle 10 by the cylindrical casing 9, which is connected to the receptacle 10 by the pins 11. The pins 11 are held to the casing 9 by the set screws 32,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 30, 1911.

Patented Sept. 23, 1913.

Serial No. 636,239.

which are also used to limit the relative movement of the elements 9 and 10. The receptacle 25 is provided with lateral openings 28, through which the mercury flows when the receptacle enters it, so as to make a contact with the solid conductor 23.

The receptacle 25 is provided with the insulation 26 comprising a double partition 30 and 31 at the bottom. Each of these insulating partitions 30 and 31 is provided with openings spaced vertically from one another to prevent a flash passing therethrough. The outflow of the mercury through the bottom of the receptacle 25 is controlled by the valve 27, comprising a perforated threaded plug and a lock nut 3 1. The raising or lowering of the plug decreases or increases respectively the rapidity of the outflow of the mercury.

The solid conductor 23 is held in position in the receptacle 25 by the insulation 21.

The receptacle 25 and its casing 9 are attached to the frame preferably a conductor by means of the insulating disk 8 thereabove, on which is set a second make-and break mechanism comprising a rocking lever 1, pivoted in the upright support 18,. on the disk 8, provided with the contact pins 2 and 3, and actuated by the broken arms 6. These arms (3 break inwardly by means of the pivot pins 7. Their lower portions are adapted to straddle the wire 14 and be held in position laterally by the straddling ends 13 of the shoe 12. Thus when the trolley wheel 15 approaches the shoe 12 it will first raise the arm 6 and lower the pin 3 so as to make a contact with the conductor 5. Likewise when the trolley wheel 15 approaches from the opposite direction it will create a contact between the pin 2 and the conductor 4. If it is desired to make a contact only when the trolley wheel is traveling in one direction, either the pin 2 or the pin 3 and the contact mechanism associated therewith may be omitted.

The current flows into the fluid conductor 29 through the conducting shoe 12 and the receptacle 10, both of which are conductors. It also flows into the fluid conductor 29 through the frame 33 and the element 9, both of these being conductors. Thus whenever the shoe 12 is pushed up, the frame 33 being fixed positively, the fluid conductor 29 is forced into the receptacle 25, makes a contact with the solid conductor 23, so that the current is transmitted through the conducting strap 24: into the conducting support 18, thence into the rocking lever 1,.

thence into one or the other of the contact pins 2 or 3 and the conductors 4 or 5 respectively, thence into one of the binding posts 22, and thence to the signaling device.

The binding posts 22 are insulated by the perforated cylinders 19 and 20 and the broken arms 6 are insulated from the rock-' ing lever l by the insulatingdisks 17.

It is evident that my invention may be varied in many ways without departing from the spirit thereof. Therefore I do not limit myself to the exact form in which it is disclosed herein further than is indicated in the claims which follow. r

I claim: v V 1 A wire, a shoe thereon, a chamber conprovided with admission and emission open ings, and adjustable means for controlling said slidable association.

A. A wire,'a shoe thereon, a chamber connected therewith containing a fluid conductor, a second chamber slidably associated therewith containing a solidconductor; said second chamber being-provided with'admission andemission openings and with two perforated insulating partitions therebetween, said admission perforations being spaced vertically from one another.

Copies oi this patent may be obtained for 5. A wire, a shoe thereon, a chamber con nected therewlth containing a fluld conductor; a second ehambertherein, containing a solid conductor and provided with admis sion and emission openings; a threaded perforated valve plug below said emissionopenmgs 1n said second chamber; and a lock nut adapted to set said plug at variable distances from said emission openings.

6. A wire, a shoe thereon, a fluid make and break mechanism car ied byv said shoe,

a rocking arm on said make and break mechanism and provided with a contact therewith, and a forked arm strad'dlingsaid wireand pivoted to said rocking arm.

7. A wire, a shoe thereon,a fluidmake and break mechanism carried by said shoe,

a rocking arm on said make and break mechanism and provided with a contacttherewith, and a broken forked arm straddling said wire and pivoted to said rocking arm.

8. A wire, a shoe thereon,a fluid make and break mechanism carried by said shoe, a rocking arm on said make and break mechanism and provided with a contact thererwith, and a forked arm straddling said wire and pivoted to said rockingarmysaid shoe being forked to straddle said connecting arm above-the fork of the latter. 1 V

9. A wire, a shoe thereon, a'fiuid make and break mechanism carried by said shoe,

a rocking arm on said make and break mechanism and provided with a pair of contacts respectively on opposite sides of its fulcrum, and a pair of forked'arms pivoted respectively to the ends of. said rockingiarm and forked at their lower endsto straddle said wire. s HERMAN A TEPEL. Witnesses:

.KATHERINE ARnE'r r,

LULA L. BALLwnY.

five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

